Anyone still out there reading this??

So I have lots, and lots of excuses!  The first one being my work computer literally wouldn't let me make modifications to the Blog.  Well that's a pretty good one.  The IT department has worked on my computer, and it's back to letting me do minor blog updates.  Yeah!  My other excuse obviously involve being crazy busy.  One of my crazy busy activities has been my desire to increase my crafting projects.  Here are a few of my latest master pieces!

The kids (ie Brooke) kepts on saying she needed a scarf like mommy.  Well, if she needed one then I am sure so did Tyler, Nate, the girls she rides the bus with (their siblings), and Emi & Clayton!  Also, I added pockets to the scarfs to make them extra efficient.  They were really easy and fun to make. Here are just a few pictures!  

Next up was Brooke's pom, pom class.  It was just a 8 week session with a small recital at the end.  The instructor decided they would just wear light blue shirts, and some kind of black pants.  (Anything that made the girls feel special.)  Well I did a quick google search and found that pom pom skirts are easy and fun to make. So three of the girls in the class got them! (Brooke's buddy Katie, plus anther nice girl that got my "prototype".) 

And finally I have been working on these dresses since this summer!  Picked out the fabric at the small fabric store near the cottage.  I realized I needed to get moving on the dresses, if I waited too long they wouldn't fit any longer.  I made one for Emi & Brooke.  I am planning on them being their Easter wardrobe, so more pictures to come! Just need to finish sowing the silly (fun to make) buttons on the back.

 

So there are some pictures of my latest project.  I will try to post some more again soon.  Hopefully before another 3 months pass.  Anyone still reading this??

 

 

North Pole Afternoon Adventure

North Pole here we come!  We were fortunate to be able to travel on the Polar Express this weekend up to visit the North Pole (aka Ashley, Mi) for a few hours.  The town did a great job in hosting the North Pole visitors.  We enjoyed reindeer feeding, a horse drawn buggie ride, lunch in the hobo kitchen where they gave each kids a wooden handcrafted truck, and chance to explore the front of an old fire engine.  The weather was a little cold and misty, but the kids didn't complain at all!  The day even ended with Santa presenting the "first gift" to one of the kids.  He was one good looking Santa.  Check out the picture below!

Fun Run Fundraiser!!

I was so excited Brooke's first fundraiser at school didn't include having to sell something.  Brooke is selling tins of candy for girl scouts, and making like $0.90 per sale versus the $6-$7 cost of the item.  I understand the girl scout organization needs someone to make money to cover the saleries for the people running the organization, but I absolutely despise going door to door selling stuff!  Needless to say, I totally loved the idea of the Fun Run at school.  The school even boasted they made more $$ in this fundraiser than they did selling candy and stuff all last year.  Yeah!!  Here are a few pictures texted to me by the other (better moms) that were able to make the event.  Darn work.

If you want to add anything to the donation, here is Brooke's website!  I think its open until the 23rd of Oct.

https://secure.eventsonlinenetwork.com/events/getmovingcrew/pledgeprofile.php?gmc=5428c34bd7bc4

That's one way to say it

"Turn around like we aren't best friends, but really we are.  This way I can put your necklace on you."

Fort Fun

We had a very busy Sunday, which included a quick stop to the park (too windy so we abandoned that plan), stop at Home Depot for stain for the deck, exploring around Target, lunch at Panara, and then off to the Flat Rock Riverview Festival.  The festival was actually the original plan at 10:00 a.m. until we learned it didn't open until noon, and had 2 hrs to occupy our time. 

We then spent about 2.5 hours at the festival enjoying unlimited bounce house fun, a lumber jack show, and a few craft booths. After the festival we finally let Nathan go home for a much needed nap.  Unfortunately for Nathan, I didn't want him to sleep to long to insure he still went to bed good.  (Which right now he magically does.)  

When he was woken up from his nap, he needed a little cheering up from his big sister and brother, who decided to build him a little tent.  Please notice the very sleepy looking Nathan, and the very trying Brooke & Tyler to cheer him up. 

Happy First Day of Kindergarten!

And we did it!!  We have spent the last month (really 5 years) prepping for this exciting day, and answering questions upon questions.  What color will the seats on the school bus be?  What will happen if I stand up on the bus since there are no seatbelts?  What if I forget my teacher's name?  These were just a few including the normal ones of trying to understand where to go.  I have also tried to tell anyone that would listen (teacher, principal, secretary, etc) about her egg allergy.  And continued to remind Brooke she must always ask her teacher before she eats anything which wasn't given to her from mommy or daddy.  She helped me pack her lunch which includes a sandwich, strawberries, grapes, veggistraws, dried fruit, apple sauce, animal crackers, fruit snacks and a container of milk and a waterbottle of apple juice...hoping this is enough to last her through lunch and two snacks!  Also, with a friendly reminder to eat her sandwich first...we will see how that goes.  We had her practice opening her thermos, lunch container, lunchbox, etc...including added extra cuts to each of her packages to help open easier.  It will be fun to hear how it all went. 

Fortunately, we were able to arrange for Brooke to be in class, and ride the bus with her ballet buddie, Kate.  I know due to the excitement of getting to hang out with Kate all day has significantly helped in keeping her from thinking about all the fears of change kindergarten will bring.   This morning she was all smiles with excitement as she put on her backpack, and walked onto the bus hand in hand with Kate.  We were even blessed with the house of the bus stop stating they keep their garage door open so the kids can all stand inside way from the weather! Brooke will also go to the after school Champions program today, at which we have remindered her Kate is not going, therefore I am anxious to hear how this goes for her.   

I will try to post a blog follow up with her stories from her first day.   I am excited to be moving on to this next step in our lives! 

Happy First day of school!!

Family Pictures!! Whew...glad to have this off the to do list!

We made it through another round of our "Annual Family Pics".  Whew.  I would love to once again do the more free-lance versus posed pictures, but these are just easy.  Plus they print them within 15 minutes, so all the work is done!!  The really fun part of the pictures is the Trader Joe's next door to shop at while the pictures are being printed.  Trader Joe's even upgraded to two different size kiddo shopping carts, which was perfect for Brooke & Tyler.  I should have gotten a picture of this too! 

Here are the "selected / printed pictures".  Fortunately the kids were in smiling moods, and the photographer was quick with the camera!!

Here are a few of the attempts at the family picture.  The photographer actually took about 10 or more to get the one above.  Brooke kept on being pretty "floppy" as shown in the first shot. 

Here are just a handful of the more candidate shots of the kids.  (Plus a boring profile picture of me for work.)

And finally we get to the point when the kids are done with pictures!!  The trick is always start with your favorite backgrounds / outfits, and go from there.  Didn't want you to think all shots were so cute.  (Okay maybe these are cute too, but from more of the "ha ha your kids do that too" kind of way!)